SNP minister Humza Yousaf has paid tribute to Scotland's first Muslim and Scots-Asian MSP on the 13th anniversary of his death.
Glasgow politician Bashir Ahmad died of a heart attack on February 6, 2009, just six days prior to his 69th birthday.
Ahmad was born in Karachi and brought up in Pakistan, before emigrating to Scotland in 1961 at the age of 21.
Paying tribute, Health Secretary Yousaf wrote: "13 years ago we lost this great man. To this day I haven't come across a more gentle soul than Uncle Bashir Ahmad MSP. He loved Scotland with every fibre of his being.
"I will always miss him, and owe him a debt for all the kindness he personally showed me."
When he passed away, Ahmad left behind wife Naseem, five daughters and two sons.
At the time of his death, then deputy first minister and deputy party leader Nicola Sturgeon said: "Bashir was a unique human being, one of the loveliest people I have ever met and will be missed by people across the whole community."
Ahmad lived in Pollokshields, Glasgow, and worked as a bus conductor.
He later ran a grocery shop, owned restaurants, a takeaway and the Clydesdale Hotel in Lanark, before retiring from business in 1993.
Ahmad left Labour behind to become an SNP politician after being inspired by a speech from Alex Salmond before his time as first minister.
He had invited Salmond to speak at a dinner for the Pakistan Welfare Association, which Ahmad was president of five times.
He said afterwards: "I liked him, his speech, the way he delivered it and what he said about Scotland. That made me come into politics to do whatever I can do for Scotland.”
After Ahmad’s death, Salmond said: "Bashir Ahmad made history as the first Scots-Asian member of the Scottish Parliament, and therefore gave it something indefinable – he made it representative of the whole country for the first time.
"Bashir was also the kindest, most decent human being it has ever been my pleasure to meet.
"And lastly – although he would have considered it to be first – he was the most patriotic of Scots.
"Bashir was a credit to both his faith and to his country, and my condolences are with his family at this desperately sad time."
Ahmad became a councillor for Glasgow Pollokshields East in 1993.
He founded Scots Asians for independence in 1995 and was a member of the SNP’s national executive committee from 1998.
When selected as a candidate for the SNP’s Glasgow list seats, Ahmad said: "The lack of any Asian or ethnic minority voice in the Scottish Parliament has been felt deeply in my community. But SNP members have righted that wrong. By doing so, they have proved that the SNP aspires to lead a Scottish Parliament that will represent all of Scotland – a truly national parliament.
“I firmly believe the SNP can now earn the trust of the Asian community throughout Scotland and that this will be a bond that endures for generations."
He took up his post as an MSP for Glasgow in 2007.
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